Be familiar with the theories of disease causality throughout history, including models to address infectious disease (The Germ Theory, Epidemiologic Triangle, and Web of Causality).

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Sins and the Wrath of Gods (theory of disease causality throughout history)

earliest explanations of disease spread focused on the wrath of gods, decline of morality and religious belief.

Evidence of these theories of disease causation can be found in Exodus and the Iliad.

Origins of Environmental Theory (theory of disease causality throughout history)

Recognition of the role the environment plays in disease causation has its origins in antiquity

first stated in the Hippocratic work On Airs, Waters and Places, circa 400 BC) which stresses importance of considering variety of environmental influences on diseases in humans.

Humoral Theory (theory of disease causality throughout history)

Rather than evil spirits, the Greeks developed a humoral theory of illness.

Disease was seen as due to an imbalance in the 4 circulating fluids of the body (blood, black bile phlegm, yellow bile). The function of treatment was to restore balance among the humors.

Mysticism and the Church (theory of disease causality throughout history)

In the Middle Ages, mysticism and demonology dominated concepts of disease. Therapy was by torturing the body. This was later replaced with penance through prayer and good works.

Influence of the Renaissance and Scientific Revolution on Concepts of Health and Disease (theory of disease causality throughout history)

The body was conceived as a machine. Mind and body were seen as separate but linked through the pineal gland. Prescriptions on dissection were removed leading to advances in the study of anatomy and physiology.

Germ Theory (model to address infectious disease)

Louis Pasteur (associated with the pasteurization of milk) is considered the "father of modern microbiology". He clarified the germ theory of disease and pointed out behavioral practices That influenced the transmission of illness. Set the stage for belief in 1 agent-1 disease relationship; the inadequacy of this led to enlargement of causal theories.

GERM THEORY

1 Agent ------------------------- 1 DiseaseKoch's Postulates:1. The organism must be found in every case of the disease 2. The organism must be isolated from a diseased animal and grown in pure culture 3. The cultured organism should cause disease when introduced into a healthy animal4. The organism must be re-isolated from the experimentally infected animal

EPIDEMIOLOGIC TRIANGLE

host

agent environment

WEB OF CASUALITY

Multi-causal Theory or Etiology of Disease: The notion or requirement that more than one factor must be present for disease to develop, referred to as multiple causation or multi-factorial etiology, has gained prominence in this century. A basic tenet of epidemiology is that an ecological approach is necessary to explain the occurrence of disease.

Be able to identify current health issues that were not previously seen as diseases or public health problems.

concept of health and illness are largely socially constructed

inequities of health care are a reflection of unequal distribution of social and political power

Involves examination of how society is organized and how this organization affects the health status of the public

Understand what is meant by "When Public Health is Working, Nothing Happens".

we measure our success by the absence of "symptoms"

Understand the meaning and application of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.

ON FINAL FOR SURE...KNOW IT!!

Primary Prevention = Secondary Prevention =Tertiary Prevention =

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Be able to explain the philosophy of social justice.

factors within society that interfere with the fair distribution of public health benefits and create inequities in the shouldering of burdens

Social Justice Philosophy:

Social justice is bedrock of public health•Social justice argues that public health is a public matter•Justice in society dictates fairness in distribution of benefits and burdens•Health itself, and the conditions that promote health are societal benefits•Social justice argues that factors within society impede the fair distribution of public health benefits and create inequities in the shouldering of burdens•Resolution of inequities requires collective action: We need to do more with the tools we already possess The challenge is to overcome social and political barriers

Be able to discuss the differences between medicine and public health in terms of: unit of interest/intervention, locus of activity/place of work, level of activity, disciplines

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definition of health equity

"When everyone has the opportunity to attain their full health potential and no one is Is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of their social position or other socially determined circumstances".

conventional vs. health equity questions:

Conventional question: How can we promote healthy behavior? Health Equity question: How can we target dangerous conditions and reorganize land use and transportation policies to ensure Healthy spaces and places?

definition of health disparities

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definition of health inequity

"But health (in)equity concerns those differences in population health that can be traced to unequal economic and social conditions and are systemic and avoidable - and thus inherently unjust and unfair."*

Top Ten great public health accomplishments of the 20th century:

Immunizations• Motor-Vehicle Safety• Workplace Safety• Control of Infectious DiseasesDeclines in Deaths from Heart Disease and Stroke• Safer and Healthier Foods• Healthier Mothers and BabiesFamily Planning Fluoridation of Drinking WaterTobacco as a Health Hazard

2 major areas within epidemiology (descriptive and analytic epidemiology)

descriptive epidemiology =examining the distribution of a disease in a population, and observing the basic features of its distribution in terms of person, place, and time. (e.g. childhood asthma) who, what, where, when

analytic epidemiology=testing a specific hypothesis about the relationship of a disease to a hypothesized cause, by conducting an epidemiologic study that relates the exposure of interest to the disease of interest how, why

incidence - the # of new cases of a disease (over a period of time) population at riskprevalence - the # of existing cases of a disease (at a point/period of time) average total population

mortality = death(crude, adjusted, all cause, disease, or sociodemographic-specific)crude death rate = number of deaths per year average total population of that year

PMR = number of deaths from a specific cause/disease (over a period of time) total number of deaths in the population

what epidemiology can do

determine the impact of disease in groups of people

detect changes in disease occurrence in groups of people

measure relationships between exposure and disease

evaluate the efficacy of health interventions and treatments

what epidemiology cannot do

cannot tell an individual the cause of his/her disease

cannot prove a particular exposure caused an illness based on a single study

cannot provide credible science without good measurement of exposure and disease

Know what incidence and prevalence measure and the formulas used to compute these estimates.

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Have some familiarity with the article: Health and Societies: Changing Perspectives Book Review and the issues we raised in class in relation to the Book Review, i.e., the importance of social, political, context.

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Have some familiarity with the article: Health, Disease and Illness: Matters for Definition Article and the issues we raised in class in relation to the Article, i.e. differences in definition of health illness and disease.

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Have some familiarity with the essay: Left Behind, by Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune.

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In relation to the film, Is Inequality Making Us Sick: In Sickness and In Wealth know the definition of the term 'social determinants'; how 'social determinants' are interrelated, and how they affect health through stress pathways.

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You are also responsible for required readings from the text, Introduction to Public Health.